Belding man brings home gold at World Transplant Games

Tuesday

Aug 13, 2013 at 9:01 PM

Belding resident Kevin Montague competed in the 19th World Transplant Games July 28-Aug. 4 in Durban, South Africa. Montague participated in four events, winning a gold medal in the ball throw. He underwent a kidney transplant in 2001 and has taken part in every US Transplant Games since 2006.

Dean Holzwarthdean.holzwarth@sentinel-standard.com

Kevin Montague had prior experiences competing in the US Transplant Games.

But the Belding resident had never been a part of the worldwide event.

Montague recently competed in the 19th World Transplant Games in Durban, South Africa, which wrapped up Saturday, Aug. 3, with the closing ceremonies.

Over 1,800 participants from 50 countries took part in the Games, the biggest organ donor awarenes event in the world.

Montague, who flew to South Africa July 27 with his mother, Betty Montague, participated in four events (volleyball, 5K bike race, ball throw and 100 meter dash).

He wound up collecting a medal on the final day of his events with a record-setting toss in the ball throw against 16 other participants in the 40-49 age group.

"In the World Games, they throw a cricket ball, which is somewhat like a baseball," Montague said. "I ended up with a gold medal with a throw of 80.01 meters. Later, as I was accempting my medal, I found out it was a new World Transplant Games record in my age division."

Montague disovered that he needed a transplant while getting a routine check-up at home for life insurance. His blood pressure was unusuallly high, and after seeing his family physician, tests revealed that his kidneys were starting to fail from a condition called 'Glomerulosclerosis'.

Montague received a kidney from his brother, Lonnie Pohl, and underwent transplant surgery on Jan. 8, 2001.

"It is amazing to see what modern technology has become in the world of transplantation," Montague said.

The US Transplant Games are held every even year and the World Transplant Games are every odd year.

Montague, an assistant coach for the Belding softball team, competed in his first US Transplant Games in 2006 in Louisville, Kentucky. He participated in 3 on 3 co-ed basketball, volleyball, and ball throw and earned a silver medal in ball throw and bronze medal in basketball.

He has competed in every event since, including the 2012 Games in Grand Rapids at Grand Valley State University where he took home four medals.

Montague's daughter, Amber, helped with the fundraising efforts for his latest trip. She, along with friends and relatives, organized a spaghetti dinner, baked good sales, casino trip and benefit at the Pizza Hut in Ionia.

Belding's varsity softball team also held a Transplant Game in the spring with proceeds benefiting Montague.

"With these events, it was enough to have my trip paid for, which was a big burden off of my shoulders," Montague said. "And the winning of a medal makes me feel that all the effort put forward by everyone, especially Amber, that the trip was a huge success. I am so very proud of Amber for the opportunity that she gave me."